classes & workshopsExplore Your Creativity
Connect with your creative side
Learn a new skill, refresh your perspective, and imagine the world more creatively!
Explore a range of classes & workshops in a variety of mediums and themes, for beginners to advanced artists of all ages.
Introducing…
The Creative Current
Creativity moves differently here…
Introducing The Creative Current — a new monthly workshop series at the Alton Mill Arts Centre featuring hands-on experiences in arts, craft and creativity.
Each month brings a new opportunity to learn from artists, makers, and creatives inside one of Ontario’s most inspiring cultural spaces.
Come for a workshop. Stay for the studios, galleries, café, and creative atmosphere of the Mill.
No experience necessary — just curiosity.
Step into the world of natural colour. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore handmade inks created from local plants, nuts, and berries. Experiment with colour shifts and enjoy time to play, create, and unwind. No experience needed - just curiosity!
During the workshop, we will begin with a short introduction to the journey and process, including how the inks are made and the differences between inks and dyes. Participants are then invited to play! Experimenting with the inks, learning simple techniques, and observing how pH levels can dramatically alter colour. Each session is unique and responsive, shaped by the questions and interests that arise within the group. The workshops are designed to spark curiosity, rekindle creative interests, and open new pathways for connection: both to the natural world and to ourselves.
Dufferin Foraged Inks harvests and creates handmade inks using foraged biological materials: plants, nuts, and berries, sourced from Dufferin County. With backgrounds in wellness and education, they work to slow down, reconnect with nature, and rediscover creativity through natural materials.
They produce small-batch inks, ornaments, and hand-painted cards, and offer immersive workshops where participants are guided to explore colour, mark-making, and creative expression using colour derived directly from the land. Foraging naturally intersects with traditional health practices, food, art, and ancestral ways of living in closer harmony with the land and its seasonal offerings.
Materials List: natural inks, brushes, water glasses, rages, pallets, watercolour paper
Materials are Included
Slow down, stitch by stitch, and discover the beauty of hand-quilting in this welcoming two-hour workshop exploring Fat-Stitch quilting and Sashiko embroidery. Using fabric scraps, simple stitching techniques, and layers of texture and pattern, participants will create a one-of-a-kind potholder that is both practical and unique.
Inspired by the long traditions of quilting, patchwork, and the Japanese mending & embroidery practice known as Sashiko, this workshop invites participants to explore how humble materials can be transformed through thoughtful making. Learn foundational hand-stitching techniques, experiment with pattern and composition, and embrace the meditative rhythm of hand sewing.
Beginners are absolutely welcome — no previous sewing or quilting experience is needed. Bring along your favourite fabric scraps to incorporate into your piece, or choose from the provided materials. All tools and supplies are included.
Whether you’re interested in textiles, sustainable making, slow craft practices, or simply spending a creative afternoon stitching alongside others, this workshop offers a fun, relaxed, and inspiring introduction to the world of hand-quilting and Sashiko.
Materials List: sewing needles, batting, fabric scraps, thread, and embroidery floss.
Materials are included
When once isn’t enough…
At the Alton Mill Arts Centre, creativity doesn’t have to be a one-time experience—it’s something you can return to again and again. Explore our lineup of ongoing workshops led by practicing artists, dive deeper into a medium you love, or try something completely new. Looking for a more personalized journey? Many of our artists also offer private lessons tailored to your interests, pace, and skill level. Whether you’re building confidence, sharpening technique, or simply craving time to create, there’s an adventure waiting for you in our studios.
See ongoing opportunities below-
![Students painting in C.J. Sheltons Studio]()
Acrylic Painting & Mentoring
Join artist CJ Shelton and spend some creative time in her studio working on your own individual painting project, learning as you go about different approaches and techniques using acrylics.
Whatever subject you choose to work on, you will be receiving CJ’s expert guidance and feedback on techniques, composition, colour mixing and more, as well as lots of help with all those “tricky bits”!
Thursdays 11am to 1pm OR 2pm to 4pm
Block of 6 classes $240 + hst
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![Student Drawing]()
Drawing Classes
Relax and learn the fundamentals of drawing in the calm ambience of a working artist’s studio and benefit from CJ’s 40 years of experience as an artist and illustrator. These classes are the perfect way to build and sustain a weekly habit of drawing regularly.
Under CJ’s expert tutelage, your skills will develop exponentially as you learn the fundamentals and hone them through working with a variety of subject matter, including landscapes, animals, still life and more. Both beginners and advanced are welcome.
Wednesday Afternoons OR Sunday Afternoons
Block of 6 classes $240 + hst
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![Three painted canvases with mandala and floral designs, along with paint bottles, markers, and paintbrushes on a table.]()
Mandala Making Parties
Gather your favourite people for a colourful, soul-nourishing creative experience with CJ Shelton. In this guided workshop, your group will learn the basics of mandala design while creating your own meaningful, one-of-a-kind artwork. Perfect for birthdays, team outings, or a memorable friends’ night out.
$175 per person • Minimum group of 4
